Bearcats Advance Three Spots to #22 in D3football.com Top 25

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University has moved up three positions to #22 in this week's D3football.com Top 25, following a 50-21 victory over Whitworth University on Friday, Oct. 11. The Bearcats are now 4-0 on the season, including 1-0 in the Northwest Conference. WU held the #25 ranking in last week's Top 25.

The University of Mount Union (Ohio) remained #1 in the Top 25 with a 5-0 record to go along with 609 points and 16 first place votes in the poll. NWC rival Linfield College, 4-0, was ranked #2 with six first place votes and 597 points. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas), 5-0, was third with the three remaining first place votes and 594 points.

Listed at #4 was North Central College (Ill.), 5-0, with 537 points, while Bethel University (Minn.), 5-0, held the #5 spot with 501 points.

A total of three NWC teams were ranked in this week's Top 25. In addition to Willamette and Linfield, Pacific Lutheran University also was ranked, with the Lutes coming in a #17 on the list. Last week, PLU was ranked #15.

A total of 18 undefeated teams were included in the poll, along with six teams with one loss, and one team with two losses. Pacific University from the NWC, currently 5-0 in the season, received votes, but did not reach the Top 25.

Willamette will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 19 with a road game at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore. Game time in the NWC contest is scheduled for 1 p.m. (PDT).

The D3football.com Top 25 is voted on by a panel of 25 coaches, sports information directors and media members from throughout the country.